Elliot Cannon
New Member
Hello! Please inform me if this is in the wrong thread, I don't go to forums much for help so I'm a smidge lost. 
You can skip to Paragraph 7 since I ramble all too much..
Alrighty, for starters, I have minimal experience with bunnies, and don't know all too much except for what my girlfriend regurgitates to me in her care for her havana, Boba T.
And a small background, Boba T. has his own bedroom (decked out with his essentials.. and then spoiled a smidge), and has a diet of collard greens, bell pepper & celery (with a constant full feeder of hay, of course)! She feeds him 2 cups of the aforementioned food. :0) She also is a stay-at-home momma souley for our fur&scale-babies.
So, story time! Boba T. has dipped his fuzzy toes into the dreaded hormonal stage of a young bunnies life, and as soon as we noticed the red flags rising (on May 20th), we called around until we found an "exotic pet specialist" farther inland -- and scheduled it for Tuesday, June 4th 8:00 am. They would require a pre-screening before the surgery, which was no stitch. We went ahead and set it up.
We made the trip up there, and were informed that there was never an appointment scheduled. After a scrambled search for proof via my call history, they decided to squeeze us in later, towards the evening.
We could not make the trip home & back in time, so we spent the day out while trying to find ways to keep Boba calmed & collected.
Once we got to the vet, checked in and went into the backroom, it started to go crazy. My girlfriend opened the carrier to pull Boba out & the vet declined, stepping in front of her and began to pull him out (by his midsection). Boba immediately starts kicking as the stranger drug him out of his cozy carrier. After a period of Boba squirming and resisting, the vet decided to "come back to him" and dropped him back in, in a complete state of panic. My girlfriend immediately wanted to check him over after the vet walked out, to which in his panicked state: he lunged and scratched her.
After my girlfriend cooed at him (apologizing if she startled him ... s
o profusely, as if he could understand), and tentatively reached in, offering him a sniff. He immediately dipped his head down for more accessible lovings. She scooped him out, and he was as cool as a cucumber as my girlfriend continued to apologize for having to hold him off the ground as we waited a few more minutes for the vet.
At the door, we heard two voices talking about a "extremely skittish, unmanageable rabbit". A new vet walked in. Immediately annoyed with the previous care and now ill wording they had for the little guy, I was quick to point out the "unmanageable monster bunny" who was somehow okay with the excessive holding from my partner (way to go Boba!). Admittedly immature, but I was getting a tad heated.
My girlfriend offers again to hold him so they could check his heartbeat & was immediately denied. They told her to put him on the table and then scooped him up -- or attempted to. He slipped through the Drs. fingers and skidded a crossed the examination table towards the sink, slamming himself into the glass display and nearly tumbling off the edge. My girlfriend and I tried to calm and grab him, but the doctor would constantly try and scoop him up as soon as he slowed in reach of my partner or I. My girlfriend is almost in tears, the doctor is determined to grab up Boba no matter the cost of Boba's health, and when he does, it's around Boba's chest with a tight grip.
Boba starts screaming. It's a blood curdling, heart breaking sound. The doctor doesn't respond, and just goes in normally to check his (racing, I'm sure) heart.
He put's Boba in the carrier, and looks at my girlfriend, Annie. Pure displeasure on his face.
"Is it an outside rabbit?"
("No. Absolutely not, he has his own bed room and free-roam when the dogs and other critters are with me".)
"Do you actually spend time with it?"
("I got him FOR Annie TO spend time with. An animal at home so she doesn't only look after my babies all day." )
"Well it's obvious you haven't taught it how to be handled. You need to take the time you spend with it and teach it how to be picked up. That will make our job easier."
My girlfriend is staring at a caged and terrified bunny. Doe eyed and taking everything to heart.
Hours later, she's still questioning if she's doing something wrong or being detrimental to Boba's health. I try informing her that a quick google search will tell her that her only ever lifting Boba as needed, not forcing him to tolerate being held Constantly isn't bad. But she keeps doubting herself.
It may sound like a one sided ramble, and I'm sure it must be frustrating to try and check a heartbeat of a frightened bunny, but if the vets weren't rushed and forceful I'm definite there wouldn't be a hassle.
To end it off, could someone please post thoughts or opinions on the experience? Care tips if Annie IS doing something wrong? Or just loving pics of your bun to make her feel better.
Sorry for the ranting! Thank you again.
You can skip to Paragraph 7 since I ramble all too much.. Alrighty, for starters, I have minimal experience with bunnies, and don't know all too much except for what my girlfriend regurgitates to me in her care for her havana, Boba T.
And a small background, Boba T. has his own bedroom (decked out with his essentials.. and then spoiled a smidge), and has a diet of collard greens, bell pepper & celery (with a constant full feeder of hay, of course)! She feeds him 2 cups of the aforementioned food. :0) She also is a stay-at-home momma souley for our fur&scale-babies.
So, story time! Boba T. has dipped his fuzzy toes into the dreaded hormonal stage of a young bunnies life, and as soon as we noticed the red flags rising (on May 20th), we called around until we found an "exotic pet specialist" farther inland -- and scheduled it for Tuesday, June 4th 8:00 am. They would require a pre-screening before the surgery, which was no stitch. We went ahead and set it up.
We made the trip up there, and were informed that there was never an appointment scheduled. After a scrambled search for proof via my call history, they decided to squeeze us in later, towards the evening.
We could not make the trip home & back in time, so we spent the day out while trying to find ways to keep Boba calmed & collected.
Once we got to the vet, checked in and went into the backroom, it started to go crazy. My girlfriend opened the carrier to pull Boba out & the vet declined, stepping in front of her and began to pull him out (by his midsection). Boba immediately starts kicking as the stranger drug him out of his cozy carrier. After a period of Boba squirming and resisting, the vet decided to "come back to him" and dropped him back in, in a complete state of panic. My girlfriend immediately wanted to check him over after the vet walked out, to which in his panicked state: he lunged and scratched her.
After my girlfriend cooed at him (apologizing if she startled him ... s
o profusely, as if he could understand), and tentatively reached in, offering him a sniff. He immediately dipped his head down for more accessible lovings. She scooped him out, and he was as cool as a cucumber as my girlfriend continued to apologize for having to hold him off the ground as we waited a few more minutes for the vet.At the door, we heard two voices talking about a "extremely skittish, unmanageable rabbit". A new vet walked in. Immediately annoyed with the previous care and now ill wording they had for the little guy, I was quick to point out the "unmanageable monster bunny" who was somehow okay with the excessive holding from my partner (way to go Boba!). Admittedly immature, but I was getting a tad heated.
My girlfriend offers again to hold him so they could check his heartbeat & was immediately denied. They told her to put him on the table and then scooped him up -- or attempted to. He slipped through the Drs. fingers and skidded a crossed the examination table towards the sink, slamming himself into the glass display and nearly tumbling off the edge. My girlfriend and I tried to calm and grab him, but the doctor would constantly try and scoop him up as soon as he slowed in reach of my partner or I. My girlfriend is almost in tears, the doctor is determined to grab up Boba no matter the cost of Boba's health, and when he does, it's around Boba's chest with a tight grip.
Boba starts screaming. It's a blood curdling, heart breaking sound. The doctor doesn't respond, and just goes in normally to check his (racing, I'm sure) heart.
He put's Boba in the carrier, and looks at my girlfriend, Annie. Pure displeasure on his face.
"Is it an outside rabbit?"
("No. Absolutely not, he has his own bed room and free-roam when the dogs and other critters are with me".)
"Do you actually spend time with it?"
("I got him FOR Annie TO spend time with. An animal at home so she doesn't only look after my babies all day." )
"Well it's obvious you haven't taught it how to be handled. You need to take the time you spend with it and teach it how to be picked up. That will make our job easier."
My girlfriend is staring at a caged and terrified bunny. Doe eyed and taking everything to heart.
Hours later, she's still questioning if she's doing something wrong or being detrimental to Boba's health. I try informing her that a quick google search will tell her that her only ever lifting Boba as needed, not forcing him to tolerate being held Constantly isn't bad. But she keeps doubting herself.
It may sound like a one sided ramble, and I'm sure it must be frustrating to try and check a heartbeat of a frightened bunny, but if the vets weren't rushed and forceful I'm definite there wouldn't be a hassle.
To end it off, could someone please post thoughts or opinions on the experience? Care tips if Annie IS doing something wrong? Or just loving pics of your bun to make her feel better.
Sorry for the ranting! Thank you again.
